I feel like I never get to plop down in front of the ol’ tele and veg out anymore – I try to catch a few useless time-wasters, aka, The Hills and The Bachelorette, when I can, but I feel like it’s a chore to wade through the fluff, mainly because it is all fluff. Well, that’s a lie about The Hills. Not the all fluff part, the chore part. I know some of you caught a late night tweet last week that spoke to a certain last-minute rental car, a certain rushed ride home, and a certain half-hour reality show that airs Tuesdays at 10PM EST (true story). Anyway, this week we were smart enough to tape that little fake-tanned indulgence of ours, and when I was about to turn it off, I saw the beginning of a commercial for a new MTV show (what? No, I don’t watch MTV, pshhh). Actually, it was after watching that crappity crap crap Downtown Girls (don’t judge me). Anyway, the new show that totally caught my eye and piqued my curiosity is called “If You Really Knew Me,” and it premieres July 20 I believe. And OMIGOD it is the experiment I’ve always dreamed of conducting. Always. DREAMED.

MTV describes it as “a documentary series that breaks down the walls of cliques in high school and brings kids together.” I honestly don’t see how this could go wrong. This is perfect… I mean, from the previews it’s almost unreal the kind of heart-wrenching material they actually address. I’m just hoping it doesn’t turn into something useless and dumb. Oh wait, I seem to be a fan of that. So it looks like I’ll watch either way.

In other news, I’m shooting guns tonight. Yup! No, I’m not kidding. I’m shooting guns tonight. Over on the West Side, ya heard? I dare you to show up. (Please don’t; you may die. I have never held a gun before in my life.) Don’t worry, I have not suddenly jumped aboard the Palin train, and I am not a card-carrying member of the NRA. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But the Fancy thought this would be fun, and I am going to admit that I was pensive for a hot second, and then psyched for all the days leading up to this afternoon’s approaching experience. Oh how I cannot wait to share with you how it goes. Is it weird that I’m disappointed that I won’t be able to hold a glock? First timers are allowed to use only rifles. Do they think they’re saving lives by limiting the firearm selection of newbies? THIS IS A SHOOTING RANGE. Depending on how you look at it, these places are breeding grounds for widespread, swift killing. But, ok, I’ll take my rifle and shut my picky mouth. (By the way, I cannot believe I’m doing this. So scared… so, so scared…)

* * *

Ok now. First, check out this painting, by Wayne Thiebaud.

Now… Check. Out. This. Cake spread.

I bet they’re starin’ at those cakes; I would be…

I know, RAD. I’ve had these beauties in a folder on my comp for like EVER. I pretty much thought about featuring them every other day – I honestly have no idea what took me so long. You wouldn’t believe how much eye candy I have stored away in folders… you seriously wouldn’t believe it.

Seriously.

I have so many images in folders and so many tabs open in my browsers (yup, plural) that it’s not even funny anymore. ANYWHO, back to cakes: The set-up, which is the work of the fantastic Ana’s Creative Bakery, was inspired by the iconic Wayne Thiebaud painting. Isn’t it magnificent? In the famous words of bluegrass singer Alison Krauss, the bride who thought this up is “My New Favorite.”

And just because I’m feeling a little light on the eye candy today, here are a few more delightful details from that wedding:

A few words from Kate Harrison:

Lisa & Drew live life to the fullest: adventure, zest, laughter, love…you name it. They are such a delight to be around and their wedding rocked my world. A Thiebaud inspired cake table?? The best ever. (Giddy!) Outdoor adventure themes everywhere?? Amazing. I was totally in love. It was a coupling of my dreams: the adorable Lisa & Drew & my hippie/bright-little-cake-loving heart. (And check out those science cookies!)

People, LOOK what you can do with doilies! I mean, flimsy freaking doilies! It’s seriously a thrill and a half sometimes, to see what my fellow bloggers have come up with. Two Brunettes teamed up with Cyd from The Sweestest Occasion and Ami of Elizabeth Anne Designs and came out of the whole thing with all the delicate loveliness you see below.

I’m really feeling everything about this table design. But there’s a special place in my heart for those lovely wide cyan ribbons they’ve added as accents to the dessert jars...

Two Brunettes created the place cards and gift tags, and Ami was responsible for an inspiration board that brought this little shoot to life!

This next great idea comes from Amy, the amazing force behind one of my favorite blogs, Eat Drink Chic. I think each of your bridesmaids would absolutely adore receiving their own, personalized version of these thank you cards, designed by Leslie Lewis Sigler of Lilly & Louise! Each is a watercolor wash paper silhouette of a dress! Too cute.

* * *

This next find makes my mouth water and eyes light up. We’re all familiar with the fabulous Elizabeth Messina; well, CHECK OUT THE CHOCOLATE BARS SHE HAD AT HER OWN WEDDING…

Yeah. To die. Steal this idea, PLEASE. And send me a photo. :)

* * *

And now, for the ultimate decadence… brought to you by none other than my beloved Tartelette…

Now, the amazing thing about these tasty beauties is that their GLUTEN FREE, and I’ve never seen anything made without flour look so incredibly delicious. Except, maybe these.

Aright, kiddies, that’s it for the Finds! Which of these is your favorite? I’m dying to know. I have this sneaking suspicion it’s going to be the ice cream sandwiches, hands down. But I could be wrong. Let me know. ;)

Have a delightful weekend, everyone! Can’t wait to show you what’s in store next week. Cannot. Wait.

I dropped by Anthropologie two nights in a row last week, and while my wallet is pissed off, my hypothalamus is giving me a head massage. It was exhilarating, like shopping so often is – especially since I never go shopping anymore (NO TIME). I was like a squirrel but with clothes, storing up for the long, warm summer. Pretty much everything that caught my eye went into my dressing room. While in there, I happened to overhear a salesgirl kvetching to her coworker; “I can’t STAND IT when these people come IN HERE and pick up EVERYTHING IN THE STORE LIKE ANIMALS. UGGGGHHH!” For reasons not worth explaining, I know she wasn’t talking about me, but I also know she didn’t know I was in there, hence the uncensored and highly inappropriate discourse. (I’m really stealth when I try on clothes. You can hardly hear me. Which means I’ve overheard a lot of conversations over time. Let me tell you, what girls discuss in dressing rooms when they think no one is listening… it’s everything you ever thought it would be.)

Anywho – I bought way too much, but it’s all FABULOUS so I’m pouring over my finds to see if I can part with any of them. So far, no dice. I love them all very much. So much, in fact, that I’m bringing you a wedding from the brilliant duo over at SimplyBloom that has Anthro touches in it! Because I’m obsessed, you see. Because I’m obsessed.

* * *

Ok, first, I HAVE to share with you a handful of gumballiscious engagement shots – same couple, different day of course. I am dying over these. How much better is eye candy when it’s actual candy?

And now, ladies and germs… feast your eyes on this. It is one of the most lovely, romantic and smartly decorated affairs I have seen in my lifetime. As I like to say starting today: delightful little details and a simple, calm color palette make for the dreamiest weddings around. :)

Ok, you know how much I love twine. And cupcake wrappers are never, ever a bad thing. Well, twine mated with cupcake wrappers at the hand of Stacey, the bride, to make what you see above and below. THAT’S THEIR CEREMONY ARCH! Be still my heart.

Check out the Anthro touches; charming rustic frames and candles, all part of the ceremony decor!

Here’s the bride on the arm of her brother! This shot is a favorite of mine; how I love precious family moments. :)

Now, look at these reception details, people. I hope you’re sitting down. Make sure your boss is either cool or isn’t around, because you might want to stare like an idiot at these shots for a while:

See that darling cake? It was baked by Chris’ sister. Now THAT is what I call a sibling. Chris’ sister, you are the coolest. You’re also a cake-baking maven; that thing looks phenomenal!

* * *

Want to stare at every last image from this fine day? Click here to see the rest of “Stacey & Chris’s Anthropologie Inspired Wedding” on SimplyBloom‘s blog!

This whole week has been a whirlwind. It went by in two shakes of a puppy’s butt. Then on Thursday, this happened:

BARF!

Just kidding – that image makes my heart sing the way that little boy talked about on Oprah that one time. So do these:

So, you know what those are? They’re just a few of the images from my most recent guest post on Style Me Pretty! Arranging the inspiration boards for this wedding brought tears to my eyes; Danah and Ahmad just look so right for one another… there’s this calm contentedness about them. Sometimes you can just feel that two people are going to make it for the long run. And it’s not just in their faces, it’s in the kind of affair they threw. One commentor, named Carrie, said it best: “Just love this wedding… This is just such a wonderful example of a truly sophisticated, classic and elegant wedding! Best of all, the photos aren’t stuffy making for such a beautiful balance!” {Photos by Amelia Lyon}

* * *

Ok, back to my week: it started out as any fine week does, with what turned out to be a spectacular event put on by the Wedding Salon at the Roosevelt Hotel on Monday (Grazia, I LOVED it. Fabulous job, missy!), and is rounding itself out with huge loads (sexually inappropriate comment for the day? CHECK) of blog world love and affection that I never, ever… in my wildest dreams… could have imagined would come my way. For the most part regarding Wednesday’s announcement. And I’ve got to say, though it may sound a little ridiculous, I feel like the friendships I’ve begun to cultivate since my entry into the bliggity blogosphere actually rival those that have naturally evolved over the span of my lifetime. Which either makes me a complete tool, or really lucky. Going with lucky.

This is gonna sound boastful, but I couldn’t possibly thank everybody here, so I just want to send out a massive THANK YOU to everyone who has been so magically delicious in my general direction this week, and always. I love you with the same intensity that I love this:

* * *

Ok, here’s some proof that it has totally made sense for me to save up all those empty wine bottles all these years. Oh, and say hello again to those Anthro knobs that just keep popping up! (Sexual reference much?) KNOTTY TIP: there are almost always a crapload of knobs on sale at Anthro, so they’re totally not hard to get your hands on if you’re looking to recreate a shoot like this one.

Here’s why… No. 1: it’s interactive online artwork, which is just one of those fun things that make Friday at work a little bit more tolerable, and No. 2: it reminds me of the book, “The Giving Tree,” a treasure of a read that made my little brother cry when he was young. Yes, my little (currently 24-year-old) brother is one of those rare types… you know, the type with feelings. Looks like a football player, but capable of a heart-to-heart. Perfect guy.

Aaaaaand finally, a totally off-topic find from Cute Overload that beats all of this. I am quoting the author, “Meg,” here:

OMG. I seriously cannot stop laughing at this poor dog. I think I’ve been laughing for a solid five minutes. Look at that haircut. He must be absolutely furious. LOOK at the fro with the trapezoid that is cut out to allow his beady eyes some room! OMG, ROTFL. And the poor other dog in the background is getting his hair cut the SAME WAY and will have the SAME FATE. Oh, man, this is too much. I haven’t laughed this hard since, well, the last post.

Happy Friday, people! That’s a wrap for the Fab Finds – hope you liked!!! And I hope everyone’s got some great plans in the works for the weekend. I hear the weather’s not going to be so great where I am, so maybe we’ll go dancing.

He’s just an adorable little reminder that Easter fast approaches! It’s THIS Sunday, April 4, as if you didn’t know. I love Easter, for myriad reasons… the main one is coming up in the next post, today. But a huge reason I love it is because, every year, we celebrate by heading out to my Aunt and Uncle’s house, and eating ham and turkey and sweet potatoes and carrot cake (or pudding, maybe?) and all that other fare synonymous with Easter… as well as with Christmas and Thanksgiving. (It’s interesting how all those holidays sort of share the same meal. Why change up a good thing, I guess. Though it’s not that good. Though I’ve never had a food dream – which seems odd now that I’m writing it out – I feel confident that it wouldn’t involve turkey and ham.)

Next find is from yvestown: an Easter bunny cozy! I have much love for this.

I am adoring the heck out of these vintage Easter labels from Suzee Que. She’s constantly uploading such fun and lovely labels. It’s always a thrill to check in and see what she’s got. In fact, I’ve got a post involving her labels coming up in the very near future that I KNOW, absolutely KNOW, you’re gonna go apes*** over.

And, finally, Mowielicious brings us home with some of the most delicious looking things I think I’ve ever seen. Though, I should disclose that Cadbury Mini Eggs and macarons are kind of my favorite things going in this world, edible wise.

Breaking the hell away from Easter for a second, here. (I didn’t think it was possible to be on pastel overload. But here we are.)

***

I discovered this totally not too cool for school baby shower over on Amy Atlas‘ blog, Sweet Designs. The photographs are by Whitney Smith Photography. This is so awesome, I can’t even tell you. It was created by friends of the mother-to-be, one Mrs. Emily Moulton, and it is TOO PRECIOUS. I’ve gotta say, I love the color scheme most of all. And it’s the first (and last) time I’m gonna say that I am loving me some Diet Coke cans right now!

In Amy’s words:

“The shower included lots of cute details including a chalkboard menu, lunch-sack sandwiches, cafeteria lunch trays, a composition guest book, milk and cookies, and pb&j bars. Whitney and Britney even arranged for Mrs. Moulton’s students to write advice for the mom-to-be {such a cute idea!}”

Those look exactly like the Mrs. Fields cookies I used to love in high school. Brings me back. To eating too many Mrs. Fields cookies at lunchtime.

Just a couple more good reasons why it’s smart to stock up on cute ceramic cake stands.

Little brown paper lunch bags are my FAVORITE thing.

Ok, coming up next, a post about my childhood, complete with pictures. And that pastel thing I worked to avoid here will return IN FULL FORCE. I just needed to detox for a little bit. Alright, talk to you soon!

After experiencing Issue #1, I was itching to see what the gals of Nonpareil Magazine had in store for us with Issue #2. What’s the complete opposite of being disappointed? I am that.

Totally inspiring. Like, the definition of inspiring. A color palette so powerful it actually makes me feel good when I linger on it. Prop and set styling that make me go gaga and – icing on the cake, people – downloadable printable templates… for free.

Here, check out some more eye candy. Don’t you just want to eat up the pictures?

Yummo.

This is some good stuff, m’friends. It’s entire minutes of fun over there! (That may not seem like a compliment, but trust me, it is – and it’s a huge one at that. I normally spend seconds on all of my daily reads and the countless new discoveries I make throughout the day. So, finding something that can hold my attention for whole minutes – and many of them – is, for me, kind of a big deal.)

I had a blast at Brooklyn Bride‘s Urban Wed Event this past Wednesday. Thank you, Vané! Brilliant job! But seriously, it was off the chain. OFF of it. The vendors, the brides, the cakes and desserts, the food, the photos, the music, the overall vibe in general was so dang positive, fresh, exciting. If you made it to one of the two days it was held, well then you know what I’m talking about.

A lot of us in this industry speak with each other on an almost daily basis and, of course, it’s always a pleasure to converse online and over the phone. We’re constantly working together to inspire and help each other make the world of weddings that much more amazing for each and every bride and groom out there planning a wedding. However, rarely do we get the chance to meet up in person, and, in some cases, finally put a face to a name. That’s the sucky part. And that’s precisely why I always look forward to and have such a crapload of fun at these things! Being afforded the opportunity to chat it up and make plans in person with these “friends” and colleagues with whom I’ve had the distinct pleasure of developing relationships truly makes the whole experience that much more wonderful and exponentially more rewarding.

Ok, so I took copious pictures from Wednesday’s festivities, and I wouldn’t force them on you if I didn’t KNOW you’re gonna love ‘em. First up today, we’ve got some real beautes from Betsy of Nine Cakes, who’s based in Brooklyn. To die for, are they not? I’ll tell you the same thing I told her on Wednesday: “Betsy, these are the best wedding cakes I’ve seen in I can’t even remember how long. You are amazing!!!” I didn’t tell her I loved her for her talent, but I was thinking it. It’s important to know the line of awkwardness, and know what constitutes crossing it. Word to the wise.

There’s Betsy, of Nine Cakes, in between the young woman in baby blue and that dude’s head and fingers. It sort of looks like he’s picking her nose. He isn’t. But it does sort of look like that.

Just LOOK at those darling little pink cupcakes. You can just pop ‘em whole, one by one, right into your mouth. I didn’t, but I watched others who did, and it looked a lot like what I imagine heaven would. Edible heaven.

I had no idea… I mean, I… I never knew they were that… that she had such big… I mean – wow.

Ok, she is smoking hot. I am not as pretty as Penélope Cruz.

But I do believe you think I am, honey. Which makes it mean just as much.

xoxo

***

Stay tuned, friends, because later on today I’ll have your Fab Finds – Urban Wed edition! Cakes and cuppies that’ll plum knock your socks off. I kid you not; these desserts are the prettiest and most skillfully made I’ve seen in quite some time. And a little wedding stationery action is coming your way, too. It’s gonna be delicious, cross my heart. Plus, I think I’m gonna throw in a printable freebie I love – you know, for good measure. See you in a bit!

People. I just about died when I saw this e-session by Kim Le that Abby recently posted over on Style Me Pretty. It’s major. It’s what e-sessions are meant to look like. For serious.

One of my simple pleasures in life is the way a group of photos can completely make my day. I never know where they’ll be, or what they’ll depict, but when the moment hits me, it’s not unlike the feeling that comes over me when I find out Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore Tuna is on sale for 69 cents per can. That was probably the least climactic thing you’ve read all day. But they really were on sale last week at Food Emporium for 69 cents, and that’s unheard of around here. And no, I don’t have kids. I have a fiancé who loves his tunafish.

Anyway… here, check out a few more of my favorite shots from Jenna & Steven’s e-session:

Isn’t it just the most darling thing ever? This couple is so photogenic, it’s ridiculous. I mean, how much do you love them?

If you liked this – and I’m extremely confident that you did – then I strongly suggest taking a more comprehensive look at this enchanting little e-session by clicking right here! Now, for one more taste…

By the way, canned tuna and candied e-sessions aren’t the only things that make my world go round. But they definitely do their part to keep it spinning.

Morning, everyone! Just yesterday, I received in the mail my beloved Cox & Cox catalog. As per usual, it’s filled to the brim with the most delightful details one could ask for in a wedding and, as per usual, it’s got me all hot and bothered. Peculiar how pretty little tchotchkes can do that to a girl. Anyway, gotta share some of the new swag to be had (plus a few oldies for good measure):

Vintage Design Cake Boxes – NEW!

Rose Cupcake Wrappers – NEW!

Vintage Design Cones – NEW!

Cupcake Stand – NOT NEW, BUT STILL!

Organza Favor Bags – NOT NEW AS WELL!

(Like these? Well, using StazOn ink and other materials similar to those in this post on DIY Wedding Eye Candy, I created the CUTEST stamped bags to house some chocolate lollipops I made for Christmas last year. I wish I had a picture of them to show you! They were too cute, if I do say so myself. It’s really so easy – I highly recommend making them yourself!)

My Mom loves Ina Garten. She doesn’t just enjoy her, she doesn’t just get a kick out of her, she LOOOOOOOVES her show. And when her show is on the tele, guess who gets a call? That’s right. But you know what? I love it. I look forward to it.

And that’s because she clues me into delightful desserts like this one here:

I didn’t appoint my Mom “Dessert & Tablescape Inspiration Finder” for nothing. I didn’t think, “ooohhh she’s a woman, so she likes baking, and other womanly things that women do… she’s perfect.” NO. I did it because she’s THE REAL DEAL. She’s tapped into the minds of the collective. She’s got cupcake game, if I may coin a term. She’s knows what looks yummy. Which all translates to: she’s very mainstream with her likes and dislikes. ;)

Like I’ve said recently, I have full confidence in her abilities.

So, I’d love to hear it – what do you think of her talent?

Be honest, however she’s definitely reading this so be kind in your honesty… if that is even a possible thing.

I found this tool on Brides.com and it entertained me so much, that I just had to share it with you guys. {Let me know what YOU think of it!}

If you’ve been struggling to figure out the perfect color combination and design for your wedding cake, here’s a nifty little solution. It’s not unlike those sites that let you upload your face to test haircuts – which, by the way, are woefully unhelpful and really serve only to make you think you have an oddly-shaped head… unless you totally don’t know what I’m talking about, which would render me someone who has an oddly-shaped head. Oh dear.

Anyway, the tool, aptly named “Create-a-Cake,” allows you to whip up a cake prototype (that’s probably a bit too technical-sounding for wedding cakes, but I can’t think of anything else so whatever), and you can even print it out to show your baker! It’s real handy, and I like it. Heck, even if you’re not planning a wedding, it’s kind of a lot of fun to play around with the colors and decorations.

As you can see here, I was (unwittingly at the time) craving a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Or wedding cake.

Notice how I spelled out T-K-B? Yeah, I took a little longer than I should have on that. Oh the life of a detail-oriented person. What am I saying, I LOVE BEING THAT WAY. :)

Ooh, and stay tuned for more Fab Finds, silly goose! That’s what my niece and nephew call me. If we all insulted each other the way very young children do, I think the world would be a slightly better place. Slightly better.

I adore these little subway maps she pasted inside of her wedding shoes!!!

From the couples’ photographer, Caroline Tran: “Jen lived in LA & Kevin in NY. They spent most of their relationship apart, so a travel themed engagement session & wedding was fitting. Since Kevin is a pilot and they spent most of their relationship traveling to see each other, they wanted to incorporate their travels & the different destinations into their wedding.”

Get a load of these boutonnieres! Precious!!

Go to Caroline Tran‘s blog for more details! The link will take you right to this wedding. :)

How great are these record table namers? Such a rockin’ idea for a music-themed wedding.

I’m a sucker for cute bunting banner, and those little dessert flags couldn’t look sweeter! Want to replicate them? Click here (scroll down about half-way through the post) for some free printable mini flags I featured recently!

So, this story dates back to Saturday, February 20 – the day of that fabulous Wedding Party event (about which you can read more here, here, here and, umm, oh yeah here. I have a lot more content to post on that, by the way. I’ve just been distracted by other things, like that peanut butter and chocolate sandwich cookie up there, for one. So stay tuned for more from that amazing day… such as dessert tables, invitations, fabulous crafts and materials, fashion and flowers… I know, I can’t believe I haven’t yet shared any of that remaining stuff with you, either! I even have KILLER ADVICE straight from the mouth of Colin Cowie! All coming soon…er or later.)

ANYWAY, back to the Treats Truck. Thinking the party was over, my friend and I exited the building to grab some coffee or whatever one does on a Saturday afternoon following a wedding extravaganza. (Sleep? Maybe a nap would have followed.) But, almost immediately, my gaze locked on this silvery behemoth. What was this thing? We both got a little giddy.

When we met Kim Ima (on the left) the woman behind this dessert-mobile concept, we got really excited…

Because she was giving out little bits of heaven. Little, edible bits, of heaven. And because she was nice. Which is important.

However… nothing prepared us for the delight that was about to meet our lips. And by the way, we didn’t have all of these. But if there had been time, we would have. If only there had been time.

Behold, the Peanut Butter Jamwich:

The Peanut Butter & Chocolate Sandwich Cookie (my FAVE):

The best part? They do parties. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

The Melty Chocolate Chipper:

The Melty Chocolate Chipper, bitten:

The Chocolate Candy Cane Cupcake:

The Chocolate Candy Cane Cupcake, bitten:

A lot of Chocolate Candy Cane Cupcakes:

The Caramel Creme Trucker:

There’s SO MUCH MORE mini goodness to see, to taste and to make disappear. So, if anyone anticipates an attack of the munchies this week, here are the locations where Kim and her truck of treats plan to be:

Thanks again, Kim, for the amazing desserts! I haven’t once stopped dreaming about that Peanut Butter & Chocolate Sandwich Cookie, scout’s honor. These days my dreams are made up of black Romona Keveza gowns and pb cookies. Not bad, not bad at all.

Image credits:

My camera died before I could capture the treats, so a big thanks to Blondie and Brownie for the fab photos!

It is kind of the most awesome thing I’ve seen, and I’ve seen tons of things. Not to mention – and I’m a little unsure of whether or not I should admit this, but – I’ve never even seen the show Gossip Girl.

Oh, I’ve HEARD about it – from pretty much every single one of my girlfriends. And it sounds fabulous. Honestly, at this point, I don’t know what’s stopping me. I do have a couple of ideas, however. First, having been through high school once, I see no reason to relive it. That could be just me – though I have a feeling it’s a good 89% of all of you, too. Second, it could be related to the drive that has kept my ears bereft of holes all these years; it started out with indifference but, over time, has morphed into what can best be described as a silent, pointless, yet unwavering rebellion.

Anywho, if this shower speaks at all of what I can expect out of Gossip Girl set design, well then hello CW, I may have been wrong about you.

And check out these totally cute dessert balls (they’re either petit fours w/ preserves and swiss buttercream, or individual strawberry cheesecakes, but I couldn’t tell you which):

And, last but not least, the blueberry and cheddar-chive scones:

There were games, too! The girls learned just how well they know their friend, Lily, by filling out this absolutely darling questionnaire, entitled “How Well Do You Know the Bride?” Reminds me of a similar bridal shower trivia game I posted back in January…

Go check out the rest of this fabulous festivity (it’s a two-parter) here and here!

As most of you already know, this past Saturday I attended one of the most FABULOUS wedding events around. It was, of course, the “Wedding Party,” and it was bananas. I’ll be presenting new photos and inspiration from the event every single day this week. Let’s begin, shall we?

Commencing with our star players: the event was hosted by Claudia Hanlin and Jennifer Zabinski, the two lovely, remarkable women behind the Wedding Library, a chic wedding research boutique located on NYC’s upper east side.

Before I go on, I’d first like to extend my sincerest gratitude to Claudia and Jennifer for having me – the event was INTOXICATING (more on why I chose that word, in a later post) and I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the experience, from start to finish. (Truly, it was the best way I could have imagined spending my birthday!)

The Party, which began at 10:00 in the morning and lasted well into the afternoon, felt like it whipped by, due in large part to its uber-jam-packedness (yes, a made up word) with delicious goodies, jaw-dropping style, incredible people and breathtaking inspiration. If you weren’t there, well, you’re probably going to regret it once you see the myriad photos I took of everything the event had to offer.

After Claudia and Jennifer welcomed everyone, they handed things over to the one… the only… Darcy Miller, editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings.

Darcy has quite a presence. She’s all sorts of charming, a bit self-deprecating and, most of all, brilliantly in touch with the wedding industry’s freshest trends and the bride collective’s deepest decorating desires. I eat, sleep and breathe Martha Stewart Weddings, both print and net, yet still found myself hypnotized by the engaging musings and dazzling imagery delivered by this maven of matrimony.

Here, she shares with us the unexpected beauty afforded by an ice sculpture:

You’re going to LOVE what’s in store this week… and I kinda can’t wait to share it all with you. Here’s a sneak peek…

And another…

It’s gotta be in doses, however, because I’ve got a LOT to post. I put my camera battery in a sleeper hold and didn’t let up over the course of nearly five hours. Thank bejeezus my friend brought along her own, or I might have been that blonde girl openly crying in the second row during the Vera Wang runway show.

Fortunately, it didn’t go quite like that. Instead, I snapped a bazillion photos, all beginning with this one:

Just wait until you see the rest.

Oh, and it’s not just gowns I’ll be posting… though the rush one experiences at a Vera Wang runway show is likely comparable to that achieved in summiting Mount Everest (I wouldn’t know firsthand, but it’s probably accurate).

I’ve got dessert tables that tantalize, wedding cakes coated in buttercream, colorful crafts for the creatives out there, and so much more.

We all want our weddings to be great, and this can mean many things to many people. It all depends on who you ask. It can mean keeping with tradition. It can mean standing out from the rest. It can mean showing our personalities, and our uniqueness, both as individuals and as a couple. However, regardless of how it’s defined, one thing’s for sure – we all want that extra special thing, whatever it may be, so that everyone who has come to celebrate this momentous occasion in our lives will remember it always, as our wedding.

By the way, remember this post? Truly one of the more awesome balloon shoots I’ve had the pleasure of seeing…

Totally worth a look-see.

Ok, so clearly those are engagement shots – and while brilliant shots, they aren’t weddings. So here’s an actual wedding with the balloon idea implemented. I LOVE how the crisp, white spheres line both sides of the aisle, adding such incredible structure to the photos. There’s an intensity here, with the focus so clearly on the marrying couple… and it’s very much a result of the double row of balloons, which serve to guide your eyes towards the center. It’s clean, it’s powerful, and it’s beautiful.

Here are a few more of my favorite engagement shots. Don’t you love the creativity of these couples? A prop like this can really ease out the playfulness that is so essential with engagement shoots. The Bubblicious is your call. If you teach for a living, I imagine it’s not for you. (In fact, if you’re anything like the teachers I had in grade school, you’re probably aching for these girls to trash the chewing gum posthaste.)

One last thing: I caught wind of The Cherry Blossom Girl on a visit to decor8 one day, and found this precious little balloon brooch, by Stolen Thunder. If you really love balloons – like, REALLY – but don’t know if they fit in all that smoothly with the rest of your decor, well then here’s a darling way to show your affection for the them. If it’s not the right fit for your look that day, then it could be the perfect bridesmaids’ gift, no? I admit, I think it’s just too cute not to make up an excuse to buy a few of ‘em. So that’s kind of what I’m doing right now. :)

On a visit to Chic Florals & Events, while scrolling down the page I suddenly caught sight of something I knew I had seen before, elsewhere. I remember totally loving it but, of course, whenever that first time was, I had been distracted by some other bit of loveliness elsewhere, and left it behind. Well, thankfully I stumbled upon it once again, and no way is it getting left in my dust this time. It’s just too pretty, too chic, and too great an idea to risk forgetting about all over again.

How sharp does that look? There’s something so incredibly exquisite about this idea… and while I can’t speak for all dessert cheese tables, I’ll risk it and say that if you set up a smartly chosen arrangement of low-stink factor milky delights, and label those suckers in such a way as has been done here by the amazing Maybelle Imasa-stukuls, I’d say you’ve got a guaranteed hit on your hands. And why’s that?

… Because people LOVE CHEESE. And the only thing people love more than cheese is cheese spread across a slice of baguette.

The objective, in Karen’s words: “we decided to create a dessert cheese table—very much in the French fashion—using a rustic chic look for décor, staying within the given color palette of cream and white.”

By the way, adding comb honey to the tablescape is a magnificent idea, if you ask me. Not only is it easy on the eyes (who hasn’t stared at that captivating little jar of tightly packed honeycomb, just waiting for a good reason to buy it?), but spread on bread or paired with a strong cheese, it’s one heck of a treat for the palate. Your guests will LOVE it!

Aaaand these little gems, too, ‘cuz they’re adorable and I need to get it out of my system…

I like that one ‘cuz that’s where I am. :)

I realize V-Day’s, like, a second away, and you can’t exactly get them in time for the Day of Cuddles, but I just HAD to show you those – I hope you understand. They’re too precious for words. Okay, now we move to desserts… these you can still whip up in time!